Chapter 56

Raising the Sword of Chivalry (1)

The Heaven-Seeking Division Lord lay hidden in the darkness, watching the duel between Cheon Muyang and Namgung Sanghyeok.

'He's grown stronger.'

He truly was a monster.

Though he seemed to have reached no more than the peak realm, the depth of his sword was on an entirely different level.

'But the situation is serious. Not only the Tang Clan—now even the Namgung Clan has gotten involved.'

Whether this was Namgung Sanghyeok's personal intent or the will of the Namgung Clan itself, he could not yet tell.

Before he knew it, the battle between the two had ended.

"You'd better take him and get lost."

Cheon Muyang proclaimed his expulsion order toward the shadow in midair.

Whoosh!

And in that instant, the Heaven-Seeking Division Lord's gaze met Cheon Muyang's.

It lasted only a fleeting moment.

'Ah….'

Yet in that moment,

The Heaven-Seeking Division Lord understood the new order that had just been issued.

'Is he telling me to follow him?'

It meant uncovering the identity of the shadow that had fled with Namgung Sanghyeok.

The Heaven-Seeking Division Lord moved in the direction the shadow had vanished.

'So he knew of my presence from the start.'

A chill ran down his spine.

It meant his position had been exposed from the very beginning.

'A warning not to forget that I, too, am being watched.'

The Heaven-Seeking Division Lord melted back into the darkness.

'I will keep it in mind.'

Just before pursuing the shadow, he glanced back at Cheon Muyang standing alone beneath the moonlight.

'He has truly become a dragon.'

That figure overlapped with the image of a Hidden Dragon .

But soon enough, the world would know.

'For now, a latent dragon… but before long, he will ascend to the heavens.'

That the Cheon Clan possessed a dragon.

Slide.

The Heaven-Seeking Division Lord vanished.

***

When Cheon Muyang, Namgung Seohee, and Maehong reached the vicinity of the Cheon Clan estate, they encountered Cheon Clan martial artists searching the area.

"Young Master!"

At the front stood Wolyeong, Neung Ryeoun, and Cha Myeonghak, all of them looking gaunt beyond recognition.

News of the Thousand-Faced Sound Demon had spread, and with Maehong's disappearance added on top of that, it seemed they had begun a full search.

"Y-young Master! Th-the Thousand-Faced Sound Demon appeared in Zhejiang! A-and Maehong went missing!"

"Wolyeong. It's all right."

"Y-yes? Ah…."

Only then did Wolyeong notice Maehong.

Bursting into tears, she rushed over and hugged her tightly.

"Maehong! What happened to you?!"

"Wolyeong…."

Maehong wept openly.

Cheon Muyang said nothing, waiting quietly for the two to calm down.

"What the hell? Where was she found?"

"Who knows."

"And who are those women?"

"Looks like women abducted by the Thousand-Faced Sound Demon."

"I just want to go back already. Fire a signal flare."

"Let's do it."

A signal flare lit up the sky.

As people gathered in response, it became clear—some were searching with genuine urgency and purpose, while others were merely going through the motions.

'We're still far from where we need to be….'

Cheon Muyang wanted to give them pride in the name of the Cheon Clan.

But this was not what pride should look like.

"Haa…."

Cheon Muyang let out a long sigh.

Soon, the Cheon Clan martial artists scattered across the area gathered in one place.

Facing their questioning gazes, Cheon Muyang spoke briefly.

"I killed the Thousand-Faced Sound Demon."

"...!"

Thud!

Cheon Muyang tossed down the severed head of the Thousand-Faced Sound Demon.

"And we were able to rescue the women he had taken."

"...."

Why was it?

Though Cheon Muyang spoke calmly, there was a strange sadness in his voice.

Yet only a very few could sense it—let alone empathize with it.

"This is all the fault of the Cheon Clan."

"...!"

Those who could not feel the sadness instead felt molten anger boil within them.

"The Cheon Clan failed to protect them."

Failed to protect them.

That was all.

Some thought,

'It's tragic, but how can that be the Cheon Clan's fault?'

Viewed coldly, that might have been true.

'I know it's forced.'

Cheon Muyang knew it too.

That his words were forced—full of contradiction.

'But the Cheon Clan cannot be like this.'

In his previous life, the nameless Cheon Muyang had been taken in by Cheon Wigang.

Whatever the reason, taking in someone with nowhere to go was an act of chivalry.

'That, too, is chivalry.'

That was why the nameless one could devote himself to the Cheon Clan, even while serving a butcher-like eldest son.

'Call it hypocrisy if you want.'

If possible, he wanted to make the clan into one filled with people who could rage sincerely on behalf of those frail, nameless women.

That was what an orthodox sect was.

And that was the true form of the Cheon Clan he had loved.

Boom!

Cheon Muyang stomped the ground hard.

The earth trembled.

Everyone fell silent.

All eyes fixed on Cheon Muyang.

"We should have protected them."

"...."

"No—if we failed to protect them."

Cheon Muyang burned with anger.

Anger at failing to protect them.

"Then we must be angry."

Whooom!

Cheon Muyang had not drawn his sword.

Yet everyone gathered there was forced to face an invisible blade.

The blade called Chivalry.

"This will be the Cheon Clan's new law—and the path our clan will walk."

Shing.

Only then did Cheon Muyang draw his sword.

Just facing it felt as though one's skin might be cut.

"If you cannot follow this."

"...!"

Sword energy flared.

Clearer and bluer than ever before.

"No—if you cannot pursue chivalry even in pretense."

Koooom!

Cheon Muyang drove Heavenly Light into the ground.

"Then leave this place. I will not stop you. I will not strip you of your martial arts."

It was merely a difference in direction.

He had no intention of taking their cultivation.

He simply had no intention of carrying them forward with him.

"Call it tyranny if you like."

"...."

"But this is the Cheon Clan I intend to build."

Thump.

Why was it?

His heart pounded.

It overlapped with the image of Cheon Muyang declaring not long ago that he would give everyone pride.

"The choice is yours now."

Cheon Muyang closed his eyes.

It was a sign—he would not question whatever decision they made.

Clatter!

Someone threw down their sword.

Even if they had only learned basic or intermediate martial arts, this was still the Cheon Clan.

They would receive far better treatment at a small or mid-sized sect.

So this was their chance.

"Young Master, we'll be going."

They bowed to Cheon Muyang and left.

"...."

Cheon Muyang let them go.

He didn't care how many left.

'If even one remains.'

Aside from Wolyeong, Neung Ryeoun, and Cha Myeonghak—

If even one stayed, he could move forward convinced he was right.

But he couldn't open his eyes yet.

What if no one remained except his own people?

"Looks like all the vermin have cleared out. You little brat, what are you still standing there with your eyes closed for?"

That was when it happened.

A thick, raspy voice—Nangwang—rang out.

Then came Cheon Seonhak's voice as well.

"That speech of yours was impressive."

Heh.

Cheon Muyang smiled.

With that, he opened the eyes he had kept closed.

Boom!

Koooom!

Only a few had left.

Those who remained drove their swords into the ground the moment Cheon Muyang opened his eyes.

Then they knelt.

"The Eldest Young Master is right!"

Thump.

Cheon Muyang's heart raced.

With people like these beside him, there was nothing he couldn't do.

"Thank you."

Cheon Muyang bowed deeply, sincerely, to them.

"I may not be of the Cheon Clan, but…."

Namgung Seohee spoke up as well.

"I agree with him."

Namgung Seohee had abandoned Namgung.

Before those pitiable women, she had sworn alone that she would no longer live for her clan.

The Sword of Chivalry that Cheon Muyang had shown them—

Namgung Seohee was already holding it herself.

"Thank you."

Smiling, Cheon Muyang returned to the Cheon Clan estate together with everyone.

The women who had been captured by the Thousand-Faced Sound Demon began receiving treatment.

"You keep accomplishing the things I should have done."

Cheon Seonhak felt both proud and apologetic as he watched Cheon Muyang complete, one by one, the tasks he himself had failed to carry out.

"That's not true. It's only possible because Uncle is here."

"You're good with sweet talk."

"Not at all. I may have made the declaration, but you're the one who will teach chivalry, Uncle."

Flinch.

Cheon Seonhak's expression stiffened.

Seeing that, Cheon Muyang continued, unable to suppress the upward curl of his lips.

"I am, after all, the head of the Inspection Division. I'm terribly busy with public and private matters."

"...!"

"Fortunately, Uncle holds no official post, correct? That means you should have plenty of time."

"Th-that is…."

"Ah, don't worry. Nangwang will help you as well."

"Bullshit!"

Nangwang was nearby.

Recently, it seemed he and Cheon Seonhak had been getting along well enough to move around together.

"Shouldn't you also start preparing a successor soon?"

"A successor?"

"Are you planning to just throw away that blade art you've honed through real combat?"

"Of course not!"

"Then teach it properly."

"For whose benefit?!"

Nangwang continued to grumble.

At that, Cheon Muyang cast out bait.

"The Cheon Clan has no blade arts."

"Who doesn't know that?"

"Exactly. That means your blade art could become the very first blade art of the Cheon Clan."

Hooked.

Nangwang was tempted.

"So what?"

"You understand perfectly well, yet pretend not to. Isn't that a challenge in itself—for you?"

"...."

For a clan renowned solely for swordsmanship to record his blade art—

To one who walked the path of the blade, it was a thrilling prospect.

"So taking in disciples seriously wouldn't be a bad idea either. And while you're at it, teaching others as you do now shouldn't be too difficult, should it?"

"...."

Nangwang fell silent.

Even knowing it was bait.

Even knowing everything was moving exactly as Cheon Muyang intended.

"Still, you're one insolent brat."

Nangwang wanted to be deceived.

In his entire life, he had never found things this entertaining.

"I'll take that as your consent."

"Fine. But I choose my own disciples."

"Do as you please."

Cheon Muyang shrugged.

"Now only Uncle remains."

"What are you waiting for? Didn't I vow to become your sword and shield?"

"Then please do."

"...."

Cheon Muyang settled it with a single sentence.

Cheon Seonhak answered with silence.

"You were going to do whatever he wanted anyway, so what's with that shocked look?"

Laughing loudly, Nangwang mocked Cheon Seonhak.

"Shut up."

"Oh? Want to have a round?"

"No reason I couldn't."

Whooom!

Cheon Seonhak drew his sword.

Nangwang wasn't one to back down either, and before long the two were charging straight at each other.

"Well, with those two, internal stability is assured…."

And the children under the care of the Gold Vault Pavilion Lord would also become precious resources.

At last, everything felt like it had reached a stable course.

"Though it's still far from enough."

Kwaaang!

Leaving the clash between Nangwang and Cheon Seonhak behind, Cheon Muyang headed to the Inspection Division Lord's office.

"He should be coming soon…."

Cheon Muyang waited for the Heaven-Seeking Division Lord.

To hear the final report.

How long had he waited?

He sensed someone approaching.

'Is he here? But….'

It was certainly the Heaven-Seeking Division Lord.

Yet his breathing was irregular—unstable.

"Gkh…!"

As expected.

Before he could even reach Cheon Muyang, the Heaven-Seeking Division Lord collapsed.

"Don't come any closer."

"Poison?"

"Yes."

It was an extremely vicious poison.

Each time the Heaven-Seeking Division Lord exhaled, the poisonous energy was so dense it was visibly leaking out.

"I let my guard down."

"...."

The Tang Clan was a family of poison.

That was why, though they belonged among the three great families under heaven, they could never truly be called the greatest.

Poison had an unmistakable limit.

"So the Tang Clan's poison really is that vicious."

To martial artists who had reached a certain level, poison was usually meaningless.

They could simply force it out with inner energy.

But the Tang Clan had succeeded in refining it.

"Can it be neutralized?"

"It's impossible. It clings directly to the inner energy—
the more you circulate it, the faster the poison spreads."

It was truly a terrible poison.

The Heaven-Seeking Division Lord had prepared himself for death.

The reason he had come this far at the cost of his life was to warn them—through his corpse—not to fall victim to Tang Clan poison.

"It seems I won't be given a second chance."

Regret surfaced in his voice.

"The Cheon Clan is finally beginning to change…."

Yet he would no longer be able to witness it.

"But… the Eldest Young Master's path is the right one. Please do not waver. Walk it firmly."

Those were his final words of counsel.

His vision slowly blurred.

Even the momentary clarity before death seemed denied by this vicious poison.

'What a terrible way to die.'

The Heaven-Seeking Division Lord felt his breathing grow shorter and shorter.

"Don't worry. I have no intention of sending you off yet."

"...?"

The Heaven-Seeking Division Lord saw—

Cheon Muyang, wearing his butcher-like smile.

'Why… the sword?'

That was his last conscious thought.

As Cheon Muyang raised his blade, the Heaven-Seeking Division Lord's awareness drifted far away.

"Close your eyes for a moment."

Cheon Muyang held Heavenly Light.

If poison couldn't be expelled with inner energy—

'Then can poison be cut?'

It was a sword that severed the heavens.

Was poison beyond its reach?

Cheon Muyang intended to cut the poison itself.

Whooom!

"I'll cut it cleanly. Just wait."